The need to reduce automotive fuel consumption and emissions is well known. Therefore, vehicles are being developed that reduce or completely eliminate reliance on internal combustion engines. Electrified vehicles are one type of vehicle currently being developed for this purpose. In general, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles because they are selectively driven by one or more battery powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, rely exclusively on the internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle.
A high voltage battery pack for powering the electric machines of an electrified vehicle typically includes multiple battery arrays or assemblies. Each battery array includes a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of spacers arranged between adjacent battery cells. The battery cells and spacers are often stacked side-by-side in an alternating fashion to physically separate the adjacent battery cells from one another. The spacers establish dielectric barriers between the adjacent battery cells to reduce the likelihood of a short circuit across the battery cells.